This invention relates to a compressed air unit having integral motor cooling and compressor inlet housings.
A compressed air unit used, for example, for supplying compressed air to an air cycle air conditioning system employs a compressor rotor. The compressor rotor is driven by a shaft. The compressor rotor is provided air on an inlet side of the rotor by an inlet housing. External cooling lines have been secured to the inlet housing by threaded fitting to supply clean air to various aircraft components.
Electric motors include rotor assemblies having shafts that are rotatably driven by a magnetic field from a stator. The stator and rotor assembly are arranged within a motor housing. The shaft is supported on bearings. The stator must be provided with a clean source of clean air so as to not contaminate the interior of the housing, especially in applications that utilize air bearings.
The electric motor and compressor rotor are typically arranged remote from one another in unrelated systems. What is needed is a simple and efficient apparatus and method for providing clean air to an electric motor that is used to drive a compressor rotor.